we are movement creates

embodied public spaces

As cities worldwide adapt plan and innovate for inevitable growth, people are thinking about…people. We Are Movement creates public spaces that bring the body–our physicality, physiology, intellect and actions–to the forefront. Why? Embodiment is not a pursuit—it’s a resource. Our external environments—our cities, our public spaces—constantly inform our internal states. Likewise our internal states—our embodiment—inform our relationship to place, each other and our actions. It’s a constant, dynamic dichotomy that informs–that can creatively inform– all we do.

“Everything we do we do through movement”-Twyla Tharp

Embodied Public Spaces reconsider, change and vitalize public space by giving the public direct, unexpected experiences of themselves. Imagine hearing a live heartbeat on a busy downtown street or happening upon a bench where you can lay with your legs toward the sky. Such encounters shift the context of how we engage with each other and our environment. They make that which is always influencing us but usually goes unnoticed—in our bodies and in our cities—directly and surprisingly felt.

In partnership with YBCA & the SF Planning Department, we brought body literacy to Market St. This embodied public space offered interactive ways for the public to experience their body, mind & senses. We encouraged varied postures & positions, offered cutting edge knowledge about fascia, interoception & more, & created a physical environment out of evocative body-centered statements.

We amplified live heartbeats on the sidewalk of downtown SF, making them audible to the public. By introducing a uniquely intimate human sound—the heartbeat—into the usual mix of sounds at a busy intersection, public space was dramatically altered; people walking by experienced an unexpected sensory shift. We continue to bring variations of this project to public space.

‘Literacy' is a term being used more & more in the somatic world. What do you believe about the body? Where does your knowledge come from? How does it inform your relationship to public space? How does your understanding of embodiment inform your choices & beliefs? Does it vary between people in a single city, between states, countries? If so how? Help us begin to find out!

Part of the joy of this work is to connect with others who are working creatively to bring body literacy into the public realm. Here we highlight examples of embodied public spaces from around the globe, as well as artwork & projects that exemplify ideas of body literacy. Have you experienced a public space or project that makes you feel 'more' embodied?
Tell us about it!

We asked people from varied fields to share their work with the public through the lens of the body & movement. Participants included, a NASA robotics engineer, a violinist, a public speaker on education reform, a professor of applied sciences, a yoga instructor, and others. We set up “The Practice Gallery,” a storefront in which people shared their private movement practices in view of the public...

Get a ‘taste’ of body literacy by exploring this ongoing virtual exhibit. What do we mean that old ideas about the body need to be discarded? Which ideas? What do we mean ‘embodiment?!’ What do you know about fascia?Read, watch videos, look at pictures & move through tutorials on varied body literacy topics.This is an ongoing exhibit that's being added to each week!